Honoring Professor David Johnson real world, being unchallenged in relation to our rascaliness eventually leads us, it seems to me, to having a deluded sense of self that interferes with our relationship to God and to one another. David has the rare gift of cutting through all the rascaliness, even when it is being missed by everyone else, by somehow taking account of his own. Let me share with you a story that up until now only David and I knew. David is the only one I have ever called on to cast demons out of me. Long story short; it was one of those long, extra COVID-y nights and my left shoulder (which I since have figured out and had replaced) was terribly painful. I was home alone; my husband and our daughter were at her soccer tournament, and our son was out making music with his band. My shoulder and arm had reached a new level of pain and started to shake uncontrollably. I started to think about the story in Mark 9 of the boy who can’t control his movements because he’s possessed by an evil demon. I thought to myself—it’s worth a shot—maybe it would help to have someone lay hands on me. And what luck! I have David Johnson living next door! So, I texted him my unusual request to lay hands on me for healing. “Well, we could do it outside in the driveway between our houses, tomorrow,” he said, “but I haven’t been vaccinated, yet.” Well, we were in Stage 5 in Austin, and I didn’t want him to risk it, so I asked him to pray for me instead. “I am praying for you as someone I love,” he answered. My shaking slowed. And then he asked the feet on the ground question: “Do we need to get you to the ER?” Do you see what David did there? He took account of his own rascaliness. I mean, it must have been a little tempting to run right out to the driveway, jar of oil in hand, risking COVID for the sake of anointing a neighbor/colleague. But David instead slowed me down, pointed out the danger to him, and asked me the question that shook me out of my bravado and gave me the strength again to trust in God. No, I did not need to go to the ER. Yes, I’ll call you again if it gets worse. Thank you for praying. Sure, we can talk later about the laying on of hands. Barth noted that saints are “wicked rascals” just as much, and perhaps more, than anyone else. The difference between people who identify as Christians and those who do not is not that Christians sin less because they have acquired spiritual superpowers by way of pious acts. The difference is that Christians know their hope lies not in their actions, and so they neither have to override their sufferings nor deny themselves pleasure. Instead, they may authentically cry out to God and enjoy God’s good gifts of this world, “using them for God’s purposes” (Calvin). Thank you, David, for reminding me that I am a wicked rascal. Thank you for reminding me to trust in God. And thank you for being the most un-spiritual spiritual person I know. v
Insights: The Podcast Listen to Editor Bill Greenway’s interview with Professor David Johnson here:
www.austinseminary.edu/insightspodcast or wherever you get your podcasts. 36
